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precepts of Tirthankaras and respectfully practises religion propounded in scriptures this practice of religion at last leads to liberation. One who respectfully salutes (vandana) a spiritual teacher secures the benefit of hearing scriptures from him due to one's humility. By hearing scriptures one obtains several things as its fruit; they are knowledge, realisation, renunciation, self-control, stoppage of influx of karmic particles, penance, dissociation of karmic particles, absence of all activities and liberation. This is stated in Avaśyaka-Niryukti verse 1215 and its Vṛtti. Therefore, vandana act is undoubtedly a cause of spiritual development of soul.
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Soul by its very nature is perfectly pure and powerful. Yet because of its being caught in the beginningless stream of varied past impressions it is heavily covered with many defilements. To come out of this stream it should resolve to perform pratikramaņa very often. Confession and thereby destruction of past sins and the firm resolve not to commit new ones in future is pratikramaņa. By kayotsarga one attains concentration of mind and accquires knowledge of the true nature of soul. Becoming fearless, soul achieves the tough and difficult goal.
All that is there in the world is not possible for us to enjoy, and all that is there in the world is not even proper for us to enjoy. So, a living being desirous of liberation saves itself from futile enjoyments taking recourse to pratyākhyāna (renouncement), and as a result of it earns spiritual peace. This conclusively proves that prtyākhyāna is a spiritual act. Thus all the six avaśyaka acts are acts aimed at something beyond this world. They are the acts to be performed with utmost attention by spiritual persons keeping in view the ultimate goal of liberation.
Conventional meaning of the term pratikramaṇa
Etymological meaning of the word pratikramana is simply 'to go back'. But according to convention the word stands for the
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